Simon Wilson – Lived Experience Speaker
Simon’s Partners

The charities behind Simon’s story

Simon does not gain financially from being a Lived Experience Speaker; any potential funds raised from speaking will be directed to one of the following charities: Stride Forward, Air Ambulance charities or Wheels for All.

London Air Ambulance

Anna from the London Air Ambulance arrived just as the paramedic shouted that they had a Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC).

Simon had received more than seven minutes of CPR and had severe injuries; Anna needed to put Simon into a coma before getting him to hospital. Even after she had done that, Simon’s life was not saved…

The London Air Ambulance responds to, on average, six patients in London per day who are so seriously injured that they need the team’s expertise on scene. They aim to give these patients not only the best chance of survival, but the best quality of life after serious injury.

Visit London Air Ambulance
Three London Air Ambulance crew members in orange flight suits standing in front of their red helicopter
Photo © Joe Briggs-Price

When Simon met Stride Forward, he had just had a panic attack; he had become overwhelmed about what to eat for lunch.

Over the months that followed, with the support of Darren, his mentor, Simon grew in confidence, developed strategies to manage his anxiety, and began speaking in public.

Stride Forward supports ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Through transformative mentoring, they empower those with life-changing injuries to confidently embrace a new and fulfilling future.

Visit Stride Forward
Simon at the helm of a yacht, wearing a Stride Forward cap and life jacket Simon hauling a rope on deck during a Stride Forward sailing challenge, with his prosthetic leg visible

Wheels for All has become a central part of Simon’s life. Once a week he helps his local hub provide the joy of cycling to riders with disabilities and long-term health conditions.

Wheels for All is the largest provider of inclusive cycling in the country. Their dream is of a world where every disabled person and those with long-term health conditions can feel the exhilaration, joy and empowerment of cycling.

Visit Wheels for All
Simon riding a bike with his prosthetic arm on the handlebars